This invention relates to a chain conveyor drive and has been devised particularly though not solely for use in the lateral face conveyor of a mining machine.
There are many applications where chain conveyors are used such as in mining machines, where they are required to convey particulate material such as coal incorporating significant portions of fines. Fines are generally defined as coal dust and particles less than 5 mm in size. The fines cause a problem with the conveyors by settling into the body of the conveyor, typically in the area of the drive sprocket, causing a build up of fines within the conveyor and promoting sprocket growth which can lead to jamming or stalling of the conveyor mechanism. It is therefore highly desirable to quickly and efficiently remove as much of the fines as possible from the area of the conveyor drive sprocket.